Image: ANATOLII STEPANOV / AFP
“The Ministry of Defense and other security structures continue to clean up the territory,” Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Tuesday. According to previous knowledge, there were no casualties among the civilians, but it was too early for the residents to return, he explained.
Fighting broke out in the district of Grayvoron on the border with Ukraine on Monday. According to Gladkow, a “spy and sabotage squad” had entered the area. Two volunteer corps, made up of Russian citizens who are fighting on the side of Kiev in the war in Ukraine, claimed responsibility for the attack. The goal is to create a demilitarized zone along the border to prevent constant shelling of Ukrainian territory, they said. Kiev denied any involvement in the action.
The extent of the fighting is unclear. Most residents have fled. According to authorities, eight people were injured. Gladkow announced in the morning that two injured residents were still in the contested villages. So far, however, the security forces have not been able to get to them to take care of them.
Russia launched its aggressive war against Ukraine 15 months ago and regularly shells towns and infrastructure in the neighboring country. In the meantime, however, Russian border regions are also complaining about increasing shelling from the Ukrainian side. The Belgorod incident is the most serious attack on Russian territory to date.
Source: Nachrichten
